Paper Birch

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

50 - 70 Feet

Mature Spread

25 - 50 Feet

Growing Zones

2 to 6

You can’t help but notice the tall, stately Paper Birch, or Betula Papyrifera, growing in the landscape. The state tree of New Hampshire, it’s known for its white bark that peels off in sheets, and was once used for roofs and canoes. Its foliage is deep-green in the summer and turns golden-orange and yellow in the fall. In addition to being tall, animals love the Paper Birch for nesting and feeding on its bark.

The Paper Birch is a tall tree, native to Canada and the northern United States, growing 50 to 70 feet tall and 35 feet wide. It can grow 13 to 24 inches per year, and has an oval, open-branching habit. It has simple green leaves that are 2 to 4 inches long. It produces brown or green catkins in April and May. Paper Birch trees produce small, smooth, oval seeds nestled between two wings. They can be planted as stand alone trees, as part of a grove, or in bunches.

Paper Birch Care

Your Paper Birch prefers well-drained soils of most textures that are slightly acidic or neutral in pH. Paper Birch like areas with cool, moist weather. They need to receive at least 4 hours of sunlight or more per day. The Paper Birch has a shallow, fibrous root-system that needs consistent moisture, although it is moderately drought tolerant after establishing.

The best time to prune a Birch tree is late summer to early fall. Pruning at this time avoids sap flows and makes the tree less susceptible to birch tree borers, which can kill the tree. Cut side shoots or any diseased branches first. Be conservative and do not remove more than 25 percent of the tree. Never cut the top of the tree.

Paper Birch Spacing

Paper Birch trees need to be spaced 15 to 20 feet apart, and at least the same distance away from walls or sidewalks. Avoid planting them under power lines due to their height. If you are grouping them together, plant the trees 6 to 10 feet apart. Paper Birch trees have fibrous, earth-prone, root-systems so it may be challenging to plant companions directly underneath them.